1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool for separating male and female housings of an electric connector. More particularly, it relates to such a separating or decoupling tool which makes use of the slots of a male housing for separating and removing a male housing from an associated female housing with ease.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In electric appliances a plurality of terminals each connected to an electric wire are connected to a plurality of counter terminals. For example, a plurality of male terminals each connected to an electric wire are electrically connected to a plurality of female terminals each connected to a selected conductor in a printed board. In some instances terminals of one type used in an electric appliance are not equal in number to terminals of the other type. Also, terminal of one type combined together are electrically connected to or disconnected from terminals of another type combined together.
Usually in such a case a group of terminals of one type each connected to an electric wire are inserted in corresponding slots of a male housing, whereas a group of terminals of the other type are mounted in a female housing. Thus, the terminals of one type can be electrically connected to or disconnected from the terminals of the other type at the same time simply by separating the male housing from the female housing. Specifically a group of male terminals can be electrically connected to or disconnected from a group of female terminals simply by coupling or decoupling the male housing from the female housing. The number of male or female terminals to be fitted in the male or female housing can be selected to meet occasional demands in designing.
As for the separating of the male housing from the female housing, usually the top of the male housing, appearing a little above the female housing, is squeezed between fingers. Thereafter the male housing can be pulled away and removed from the female housing. Separation is likely to be performed by holding and pulling a bundle of electric wires which are connected to the male housing. This manner of separation is most likely to be performed in case of connectors of small size.
In the case of a connector having a sufficient number of terminals and of a male connector housing have as many male terminals as there are female terminals, a bundle of electric wires extending from the male terminals may be strong enough to resist against breaking when the male housing is pulled apart from the female housing by the bundle of electric wires. However, in the case of a male housing having fewer male terminals than there are female terminals, a bundle of electric wires extending from the male terminals may be not strong enough and therefore, the electric wires or terminals may break.